COMMUNITY CLUB’S BIG WEEKEND
Hundreds of bikers in pink wigs and fairy wings, dozens of soccer teams like the Maradona Kebabs and the South West Wogs, plus a national television reality show – they all converged on Club Marconi on the one day.
Club Marconi was awash in a sea of pink as hundreds of riders gathered for the 16th Annual Pink Ribbon Motorcycle Ride on Sunday October 16. The original and biggest pink ribbon ride in the country was a roaring success, raising close to $50,000 for the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute.
The event was organised by ‘Girls Ride Out’ and this year attracted nearly 800 bikes, trikes and scooters with close to 1200 riders and pillion passengers. Participants came from right across Sydney and as far away as Queensland and Victoria to participate in the event.
The fun-loving convoy headed out on a 128km, 2-hour round trip from Club Marconi to a checkpoint at Picton Bowling Club before returning to Bossley Park.
Selina Thorburn from the Pink Ribbon Motorbike Ride said Club Marconi was the best venue they have ever used. She said not only was it a perfect location with a great carpark and facilities to accommodate such big event, but the club has also been hugely supportive with both volunteer assistance and donations.
On the same day, Club Marconi also hosted the third annual Marc Acuri Cup – a two day, six-a-side football competition that this year raised nearly $50,000. The money will be used to equip around 25 suburban football clubs with defibrillators.
The event was founded in 2014 by Robby Mansour and Alex Cauchi after Robby’s fourteen-year-old cousin Marc suffered a cardiac arrest on the field whist playing for his club Austral FC. Marc’s life could have been saved that day if the club had been equipped with an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator).
Again, Club Marconi has been a major supporter for the charity event, providing Marconi Stadium free of charge as well as logistical and financial assistance.
And if that wasn’t enough for one day, a big production, television reality show were also filming on site. Due to a media black-out , we can’t tell you which show, but stay tuned and we’ll let you know before it goes to air in early 2017.
Just another day in the life if one of Sydney’s big-hearted community clubs.
Images: Left to right.
Pict 1: Founder and organiser of Girls Night Out and The Pink Ribbon Ride Selina Thornton, Pink Ribbon Ride Vice President Diane Scaybrook and Sam O’Halaran, Pink Ribbon Ride Coordinator.
Pict 2: Just some of the nearly 800 bikes assembling outside the club
Pict 3: Leader of the pack – Trevor Winfield, the Pink Elvis
Pict 4: Winners of the 2016 Acuri Cup – The South West Wogs
